If Uddhav, Raj come together, they have to shed ideologies: NCP

Mumbai: Commenting on Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's purported extension of olive branch to MNS chief Raj Thackeray, NCP today said if the estranged Thackeray cousins wanted to come together, one of them would have to shed his ideology.

"Shiv Sena and MNS have different ideologies. While Shiv Sena has been harping on Hindutva, MNS chief's political plank is Maharashtra `dharma'," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said, talking to reporters here.

To form an alliance, one of them would have to let go of his ideology, Malik said, adding "both are doing politics on emotional issues rather than developmental issues. Development is never on their agenda."

PTI

"We will be happy if the two families come together," the NCP leader quipped.

He also said even if MNS and Shiv Sena came together, it would not affect Congress-NCP. "It is wrong to say that they (Shiv Sena-MNS) get votes from Marathi people. Actually we are getting votes from Marathi-speakers. Because of their political agendas, youth have been turning back on them," he said.

Yesterday, in an interview to the party mouthpiece, Uddhav Thackeray had indicated that he would welcome any friendly overture by Raj.